Preparations complete for Chhath celebrations

Kathmandu, Nov. 16: Preparations for the celebration of the Chhath festival have reached the final stage in different parts of the country, mostly in the Mithila region and the capital city.

In this connection, various river banks including the Ranipokhari in the capital city are being decorated and special worship platforms are constructed on the banks of the rivers and ponds to offer Argha to the setting sun on Tuesday, the main day of this year’s Chhath.

Ranipokhari has been cleaned up and decorated for the Chhath celebrations. During the festival, the devotees offer Thekuwa, Bhusawa, banana, coconut, ginger, fruits and sweets.

Worship of Chhati Mata (ancient Vedic goddess), offering argha to the setting and rising sun, conclusion of the festival celebration, offering of prasad to devotees and immersion of an idol of Chhati Mata are the parts of festival. Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God and Chhati Mata.

The festival to be marked from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Saptami began on Sunday and the devotees take a holy bath in Chaturthi only by consuming consecrated food items. The devotees observe fasting on the day of Kartik Shukla Panchami and offer rice pudding to the Moon on the same evening.

During this festival, the devotees avoid meat, fish, garlic and the foods made up of millet and buckwheat. The activities performed on the day of Chaturthi are called Arbaine or Araba.

The government has also announced a public holiday on the main day of Chhath festival i.e. tomorrow Tuesday.

Chairman of Nepal Calendar Determination Committee Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam said that the wishes of the devotees would be fulfilled as per the religious beliefs if the sun was worshipped on Kartik Shukla Pakshya.

Senior journalist Devendra Gautam said that he has been observing this festival since 2012 BS as this festival was the symbol of purity. RSS